James D. Ryan Middle School Vanguard Program proudly serves students who have been identified as potentially gifted and talented intellectually, creatively, or in leadership. The program offers a differentiated curriculum that is both accelerated and enriched. Students typically study interdisciplinary units that emphasize higher level thinking and problem solving. Advanced courses, include Algebra, Integrated Physics and Chemistry, and Spanish are offered. Students who are accepted into the program are eligible to earn high school credit hours as eighth graders.
For more information, please call or email
Mrs. Valerie Butler-Harris, Magnet Vanguard Coordinator at
713-942-1932 or vbutlerh@houstonisd.org
Mrs. Valerie Butler-Harris is a proud Phi Delta Kappa graduate of Texas Southern University. She acquired both her Undergraduate and Master's Degrees from TSU! Both of her parent's the late Mrs. Patricia Geeter Butler and Dr. Joseph Butler were both educators and early is life she knew she wanted to make a positive impact on the educational process of children. At James D. Ryan Middle School she serves the student's as the Magnet Vanguard Coordinator and also teaches 6th grade World Cultural Social Studies, 7th grade Texas History and 8th grade American History. She is the mother of two children, Victoria Patrice Harris and Jaire Alexander Harris and the wife of Thomas E. Harris Jr. The Harris' Family attends Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church wherein she volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America. In her spare time she enjoys reading, riding her bicycle with her children and exercising with her husband.
